Screentime, or using an electronic device such as cell phones and tablets, before going to bed can negatively impact both the quality and duration of your sleep. Although a popular way to unwind at the end of the day, this pre-sleep activity has been shown to delay bedtime, cause sleep loss, contribute to irregular sleep-wake patterns, and lead to daytime fatigue and later rise times the next morning. Studies have shown that you are more likely to experience a poor sleep when you use your phone for more than 60 minutes before bedtime.
Sleep loss has also been associated with other negative physical effects. Insomnia (trouble falling asleep or staying asleep) and sleep loss have been linked to an increase in blood pressure and, therefore, an increased risk of developing a chronic problem with high blood pressure (hypertension). Poor sleep quality has also been connected to accelerated skin aging, including wrinkles, sagging, and skin conditions like eczema… Sleep loss can lead to anxiety and depression, and many studies have shown that insomnia can impair brain functions such as thought processes, memory, and concentration. The use of screens before bedtime can have a snowball effect that adversely affects you into the next day and can continue as an ongoing cycle.
The good news is that help is readily available from your community pharmacist to tackle your sleep problems. Your pharmacist can work with you to adjust your sleep medication timing or dose to better suit your needs or can help you develop a plan to gradually stop sleep medications altogether. The pharmacist can review your full list of medications and medical conditions to determine if anything else is contributing to your sleep troubles and can also suggest non-drug options and advise you on the use of natural remedies like melatonin. It can be helpful to maintain a sleep log and share the details with your healthcare team–include how long it takes you to fall asleep, how long you sleep, and if you ever wake up after initially falling asleep. Include notes about what may have contributed to your sleep quality. Throughout your sleep journey, your pharmacist can be there to provide support and help you adjust your care plan as needed.
If you need extra help, you can work with a specialty pharmacist or physician trained in non-medication therapy for insomnia (NMTi) to help improve your bedtime routine to achieve quality sleep. Care plans include identifying and changing habits and thoughts contributing to the problems you have with sleep. Common non-drug suggestions include using the bedroom only for sleeping and intimacy, keeping the bedroom free from light and noise, waking at the same time every morning, avoiding daytime napping, and changing behaviours that contribute to causing sleep problems. Relaxation strategies such as progressive muscle relaxation and breathing techniques can be helpful before bed. Some techniques have even been proven to be more effective than sleep medications for long-term insomnia. These ideas may seem like they require a large commitment at first, but great results can be accomplished as soon as two to four weeks.
Even though screen use before bed seems like a good way to relax, it can have multiple negative effects on your quality of sleep and overall wellbeing. Talk to your London Drugs pharmacist today to learn more about how to get the good sleep your body needs.
